Okay, okay. I know I've got some stories out there that are under progress, but I just couldn't resist myselfXD In the past week I've encountered pieces about flowers and their meanings in my classes (if you don't know I'm an Environmental Science major) and I kept thinking about S&R (Ranger, we all know it was him, once sent Stephanie a red rose, which symbolizes true love).

So, the idea for this story came from the fact that Stephanie has made some enemies in the past. What would happen if one of them returned, sending her messages with flowers?

This is an S&R established relationship.

Disclaimer: The Plum universe belongs to JE.

I felt a strong arm snake around me to grab my right wrist and pin my arm across my chest. Another hand grabbed my left arm and I knew I needed to act quickly before I was immobilized.

Okay, Stephanie. I told myself. You've done this before. I ordered my body to do what I was taught.

With a twist of my hips and half spin I moved away from my aggressor. A sweep of my arm and a well-placed kick to the back of one leg I had enough freedom and momentum to have the upper hand in this encounter. I saw my opening and I took it, leaning against the muscled man before me while simultaneously sweeping leg under his and shoving him down.

His muscular form hit the matted floor and I fell with him, sinking down on top of him in an attempt to immobilize him.

"Aha!" I let out a slightly breathless chuckle of victory, straddling him.

"Babe." Ranger stayed down, eyes sparkling.

"I'm now part of a very select group of people who've gotten the drop on you." I beamed, resting my hands on his bare chest.

"Maybe I wanted you to pin me down." A corner of Ranger's mouth lifted in a sexy grin and his hands moved to my hips.

I slapped his hands away. "And here I thought I was a sore loser." I leaned closer, coming face to face with him. "Admit it. I've improved." My lips brushed his as I spoke and I could feel him getting excited with our close proximity.

And if he gave me another grin I won't be able to wait until we're upstairs to have my way with him.

"You have." Ranger agreed, slipping a hand under my T-shirt while he wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me pressed to him. He captured my lips in a heated kiss, his hand moving under the elastic of my sports bra.

In a matter of seconds the kiss went from heated to scorching, making me grind my hips against his hardness.

We broke apart for air. While I tried to get some much needed oxygen, my right hand was already skimming down his side. I'd just gotten to the waistband of his cargo pants when I felt him still his movements. I returned my gaze to his face and noticed he was looking to the side. I followed his line of sight and saw Bobby standing by the weights.

"Umm…" He shifted his weight from foot to foot, unsure of what to do. "Should I come back?" He was already retreating.

I pushed myself back to a sitting position. "No. I was just collecting my reward for putting the drop on Ranger." This time I grinned at Ranger.

Last month I went after Natalie Fellows when she skipped her court date. She'd been arrested for prostitution, but she claimed it was a bogus charge and that she was a boxer who had nothing to do with the 'ho life' as she put it. Fellows thought it would be proof enough to let me have first-hand knowledge of her skills for me to believe her. To make the long story short, that afternoon I saw parts of my body I'd only seen before with the help of a mirror. It's not like she did some serious damage, but I did have a mean body ache for the better part of a week.

Ranger had not been happy when he found out. When he went to get me all he said was 'Babe', but I knew he was thinking I needed to keep my gun handy.

on the other hand the guys, led by Lester, decided that since I wasn't going to carry weapons with me, like a gun, when I went out to do my bounty hunting thing, then I should consider another option.

'Like what?', I'd asked Lester.

'Using your body as your weapon.' He'd told me, wolfish smile in place.

So, for the last couple of weeks the guys have been teaching me some self-defense. I've been putting lots of effort into it, knowing that being able to kick some ass could come in handy in the future. I know I'm nowhere near the level of the Merry Men or Ranger. Yet.

It's a work in progress.

"You're learning." Ranger placed his hands on the tops of my thighs. The soft squeeze he gave me was a silent plea for me not to get off him. He was still in the mood.

"Okay." Bobby pretended he had a call and stepped out.

"We should leave before more of the guys show up." I said to Ranger. Five o'clock was just a breath away and it was the preferred time for most of the men to get in a workout session. I'd been by my lonesome trying to figure out what I wanted to include in my session when Ranger showed up.

"Yeah." I stood up, offering a hand to Ranger. He took it, but he pushed himself up. I watched him collect his discarded T-shirt and Glock from nearby.

"How did you know I was in the gym?" I asked.

"I spotted you coming in." He saddled up behind me, one hand on my hip as he guided me forward. "Stay close." The whispered words held the promise of private fun as soon as we made it to his apartment.

Thirty minutes later I collapsed on top of him, sweaty and working on catching my breath. Making love with Ranger is simply magical, setting me on fire with a single look or touch.

"That's definitely better than jogging in place." I told him, giggling after.

"Babe." He let out a chuckle, making me want to start all over again.

S&R

Ranger was gone by the time I woke up the next morning.

I was feeling extremely satisfied after a night of hot lovin'. I took my time to roll out of bed, took an extra-long shower and changed into my usual uniform of jeans and T-shirt.

There was a tray of food and coffee waiting for me when I reached the kitchen. Ella is just magnificent, because if I were at my apartment right now I'd have opted for breakfast at the Bonds office with Connie and Lula. They usually have donuts in the morning.

I ate in comfortable silence and then I was on my way.

Business was slow. The shops around the Bonds office were empty. I parked right in front of the office and got out.

Connie was at her desk, sipping coffee and munching on a huge breakfast burrito. Lula was on the chair opposite Connie, gobbling down her monster burrito.

"What happened to the donuts?" I asked, taking the seat next to Lula.

"We gotta have something healthy for breakfast once in a while." Lula said, taking a swing of her large soda.

"Right." I said, shifting my attention to the flowers on a corner of Connie's desk. "What's with the flowers?" I asked Connie if she had a secret admirer.

"Actually, they're for you." She said they were by the front door when she opened up this morning.

"Who they from?" Lula wanted to know, no longer busy with food since she'd finished it all.

I reached for the card mingled with the orange-ish flowers. "Doesn't say." The card only said they were for me, written in ornamented handwriting.

"Ranger?" Connie asked.

I shook my head. "He'd send me a red rose."

"Just one? That sounds kinda cheap." Lula shook her head in disapproval.

"Anything new come in?" I asked Connie, my eyes still scanning over the flowers.

"No."

"Alright." I had no current FTAs, so I decided to head back to Rangeman.

S&R

I'd just parked my CRV in one of Ranger's personal spots when someone rapped on the driver's side window.

"What you up to, Beautiful?" Lester asked when I opened my door.

"Not much." I grabbed the bouquet of flowers and got out.

Lester made a face when he saw them. "That is so wrong."

"What?" I asked.

"Heleniums." He took the flowers from me, saying they weren't something nice to send.

"Why?" I asked, not understanding where he was coming from.

"Way back when people used to send messages through flowers." Lester said it was a coded way of talk, a sort of secret language.

"And you know all about this?" I asked, arching an eyebrow in question.

"Hey, I have a heart." He gave me a look of false indignation. "Plus, the ladies love flowers." His smile playful.

I took the flowers back from Lester. "Mmhmm."

"I would have personally sent something more positive and happy, like a Lily for her elegance and beauty." Lester sighed, probably thinking about his next conquest.

"More positive?" I looked at the flowers. "What do these mean?"

"Tears." A shiver ran up my spine at his words.

"Thanks for the insight." I told him, waving as I moved to the elevator.

I rode the elevator to the fifth floor, hoping to catch Ranger in his office. I'm pretty sure these weren't from him and I was trying to convince myself that the flower's supposed meaning had nothing to do with the reason someone sent them to me.

At least, I hoped so.